As part of a 2011 survey conducted by Alltech, in cooperation with other parties, it was shown that China is now the largest feed market in the world. Alltech is putting unprecedented resources into China, including transferring one of its senior vice presidents and the son of the founder, Dr. Mark Lyons, to China in January 2012. Another senior vice president, Aidan Connolly, has visited China ten times this year in order to support Alltech’s operations there.

“Issues such as mycotoxins, feed and food safety and the environmental impact of our industry are strongly present in China. Also, in times of the highest ever raw material prices in history, Chinese animal producers still need to be profitable by reducing feed costs and increasing animal performance. One of the biggest questions for China is how the country can improve the feed conversion rate and at the same time decrease the dependence on crop imports,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, adding that “Alltech’s investment of more than $2.5 million to the Chinese Research Alliances in the next five years clearly indicates our commitment to find sustainable solutions to these challenges together with some of the world’s best universities."

“These Research Alliance projects will help Alltech bring solutions to our most important markets, solving real problems for the benefit of society and the industry. The impact of this will go beyond the borders of China as China today impacts all parts of the food and feed industries around the world,” said Dr. Mark Lyons.

Alltech has been successfully collaborating with top academic institutions through research alliances in order to find long-term answers to the key issues facing the agricultural industry by using sound sciences and educating the next generation of scientist.

The Research Alliances at each university will focus on specific key areas aiming to address emerging challenges to animal agriculture in China, for example: